System and method for monitoring nerve activity within a trachea of a patient

An intraoperative nerve monitoring system for monitoring nerve activity within a trachea of a patient, the intraoperative nerve monitoring system comprising:

• an endotracheal (ET) tube assembly, the endotracheal tube assembly comprising:
• an ET tube comprising an outer circumferential surface and a length sufficient for insertion within a trachea of a patient, the ET tube being configured to be at least partially inserted within the trachea;
• a surface electrode wrapped about a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the ET tube, the surface electrode being configured to monitor nerve activity when the ET tube is at least partially inserted within the trachea and is contacting a target tissue and to output a nerve signal corresponding to the nerve activity;
• and
• a pressure sensor assembly coupled to the outer circumferential surface of the ET tube, the pressure sensor assembly being configured to sense an amount of pressure between the surface electrode and the target tissue at each of at least two regions spaced apart from one another on the outer circumferential surface and output a pressure signal based on the amount of pressure between the surface electrode and the target tissue at each of the at least two regions;
• and
• a console comprising:
• a controller configured to;
• receive the pressure signal and the nerve signal;
• determine whether the amount of pressure at each of the at least two regions exceeds a pressure threshold based on the pressure signal;
• and
• output an output signal based on the pressure signal and the nerve signal;
• and
• an output device configured to receive the output signal and output a first indicator and a second indicator based on the output signal, the first indicator comprising a numerical indicator comprising a number based on the amount of pressure between the surface electrode and the target tissue at the at least two regions to facilitate proper placement of the ET tube in the trachea and the second indicator being indicative of the nerve activity.